1974 in Canada

Incumbents

January 1 – The Canadian Stock Exchange merges with the Montreal Stock Exchange
January 7 – Bora Laskin sworn in as Chief Justice of Canada
January 14 – Jules Léger is sworn in as Governor General
January 26 – The Global Television network begins broadcasting
May 23 – New Brunswick becomes the first province to be officially bilingual
June 12 – The Social Credit Party under W.A.C. Bennett wins a minority government in British Columbia
June 29 – Soviet ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov defects in Toronto
July 2 – Ralph Steinhauer becomes the first Native American to be a Canadian Lieutenant Governor when he is appointed to that role in Alberta
July 3 – Canada first demands that its territorial waters be extended to 200 nautical miles (370.4 km)
vote of no-confidence in parliament forces election
July 8 – Federal election: Pierre Trudeau's Liberals win a majority
July 30 – Bill 33 is passed making French the official language of government and business in Quebec
August 1 – The Elections Act is passed limiting campaign contributions
August 9 – Nine Canadians are killed when their plane is shot down by Syria
September 17 – The RCMP decides to allow female members for the first time
November 29 – An aircraft is hijacked over Saskatchewan. It is recovered in Saskatoon
Paul Martin made president of Canada Steamship Lines
The Waffle disbands
The report of the Le Dain Commission argues marijuana should be decriminalized

New Works

Awards

See 1974 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards.
Stephen Leacock Award: Donald Jack, That's Me in the Middle
Vicky Metcalf Award: Jean Little